Appalachian Center for Craft
Student FAQs:
How to become a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or Craft Certificate student
Admission Requirements | Housing Requirements | Financial Aid | Advisors | Deadlines
Summary: The Appalachian Center for Craft is a campus of Tennessee Tech University
(http://www.tntech.edu/) and is part of TTU’s Music and Art Department. We
offer BFA degree and Craft Certificate concentrations in clay, fibers, glass,
metals, and wood. Although the Craft Certificate is a non-degree program,
students must be admitted to Tennessee Tech University. TTU also offers BFA
concentrations in art education and painting. The BFA degree is accredited by the
National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools.
• What is the difference between a BFA degree and a Craft Certificate?
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a professional undergraduate degree intended to prepare for professional
practice in the studio of concentration (clay, fibers, glass, metals and wood), as recognized by the National
Association of Schools of Art and Design. To earn the BFA, students are required to take general education
classes in addition to a broader range of art courses.
The Craft Certificate is conferred as a formal recognition by the Craft Center faculty of an emerging
professional level of studio knowledge and accomplishment. The Craft Certificate is not a degree-granting
program; students are required to take only art courses. No general education curriculum is required for the
Certificate. Completing the courses on the certificate list does not imply any standing in progress toward any
degree under the Tennessee Board of Regents. To earn the BFA, students are required to successfully
complete 41 hours of general education requirements in addition to 80 hours of art courses. The Craft
Certificate curriculum consists of 48 hours of art requirements only.
• Is there a portfolio review as part of the admission to the BFA degree program? Craft Certificate program?
No. The Craft Center does not currently require portfolio reviews.
• What classes are required to graduate with a BFA? Receive a Certificate?
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree: A minimum of 120 hours is required to graduate from TTU with a BFA. Click
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/bfa.html and choose your primary studio of interest (clay, fibers, glass,
metals, and wood) follow the curriculum links.
Craft Certificate: Certificate students are not required to take any general education courses (i.e. English,
math, etc.). Click http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/cert_curric.html for a full listing of course
requirements.
• How many semesters will it take to complete the Craft Certificate program?
Usually, it takes six semesters to complete the program.
• What if I am in the Certificate Program and want to switch to the BFA?
In order to switch from the Certificate Program to the BFA a student must re-apply to TTU and be re-admitted
as a degree-seeking student.
• How can I get the undergraduate catalog of classes for TTU / Craft Center?
TTU no longer prints “hard-copies” of the undergrad catalog. View the undergraduate catalog online at
http://www.tntech.edu/ugcat/.
Appalachian Center for Craft
A campus of Tennessee Tech University
1560 Craft Center Drive ♦ Smithville TN 37166
615.597.6801 (phone) ♦ 615.597.6803 (fax)
craftcenter@tntech.edu ♦ www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Appalachian Center for Craft
Student FAQs:
How to become a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or Craft Certificate student
Admission Requirements | Housing Requirements | Financial Aid | Advisors | Deadlines
• Is financial aid available?
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree: Yes. Click http://www.tntech.edu/financialaid/ for the Federal Application
for Student Aid (FAFSA), as well as Tennessee’s Lottery scholarship information.
Craft Certificate: There is NO federal or state aid available for the Certificate programs due to their non-
degree status; however, some departmental scholarships are available to students currently enrolled in these
programs.
• Who is my advisor or whom do I contact if I have questions about a specific craft medium or class?
Your advisor will be the professor who heads your primary studio of interest. See
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/faculty.html for Craft Center faculty contact information.
• How can I schedule a tour of the Craft Center facility, studios, and student housing?
Prospective students interested in attending the Appalachian Center for Craft / TTU, should contact the Craft
Center’s Administrative Office to arrange a tour. Please call 615.597.6801 or email:
craftcenter@tntech.edu.
• How do I transfer to TTU from another university or two-year college?
Visit Tennessee Tech’s website at http://www.tntech.edu/transfer/ for transfer equivalency tables and
evaluation processes.
• Do I have to live in TTU main campus dorms or Craft Center student housing?
Freshmen are not eligible for housing at the Craft Center. For the purpose of determining Craft Center
housing eligibility only, "Freshmen" is defined as students who have not completed two full-time semesters of
college coursework (minimum 24 semester hours) post high school graduation. All requests for a waiver or an
exception must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Craft Center. Exceptions will be considered for
students the age of 24 and over, and/or students with a substantial professional-level involvement in one or
more of the Craft Center studio media.
For non-freshmen to be eligible for Craft Center housing, you must be registered for at least 6 credit hours
during the fall and spring and a minimum of 5 hours during the summer.
For more information about living at the Craft Center, email craftcenter@tntech.edu or view/print the
“Living at the Craft Center” FAQ found on the Student Information page
(http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/student_info.html) of the Craft Center’s website.
BASIC TTU HOUSING REQUIREMENTS
Degree-seeking students are required to live in student housing their first four semesters of college regardless
of classification (i.e. freshman, sophomore, etc.) A student can be exempt from the residency requirement if
he/she is commuting from a parent’s and/or guardian’s permanent residence which is within a 50 mile radius
or if he/she is living with immediate family who are permanent residents—specifically identified as
grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers or sisters who are not enrolled at the university—within a 50 mile radius.
Also, once a student has completed four semesters at ANY university he/she is not required to live in campus
housing anymore.
If you have questions regarding residency, contact the Admissions office at 800.255.8881 or 931.372.3888.
Visit TTU’s Residential Life site http://www.tntech.edu/reslife/ for detailed info about living on TTU’s main
campus.
Appalachian Center for Craft
A campus of Tennessee Tech University
1560 Craft Center Drive ♦ Smithville TN 37166
615.597.6801 (phone) ♦ 615.597.6803 (fax)
craftcenter@tntech.edu ♦ www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Appalachian Center for Craft
Student FAQs:
How to become a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or Craft Certificate student
Admission Requirements | Housing Requirements | Financial Aid | Advisors | Deadlines
• Is there a housing requirement for students in the Certificate program?
No. Since the Craft Certificate is not a degree-seeking program, there is no housing requirement for
Certificate students. There is, however, a requirement for BFA students.
• Does the Craft Center offer a University meal plan?
TTU’s main campus in Cookeville offers a meal plan. The walkway café, the Craft Center’s on-site restaurant,
is open M-F, 8:30am-1pm for breakfast and lunch. The café does not offer a formal
meal plan.
• What are the requirements to be admitted to TTU / Craft Center?
The requirements to be admitted to TTU / Craft Center ARE THE SAME for both the BFA and Certificate
Programs. Click http://www.tntech.edu/admissions/faq_undergrad.html for TTU’s Undergrad Admissions
FAQ. For more information regarding admission to TTU please visit the Admissions Office website
http://www.tntech.edu/admissions/.
• What steps do I take to apply for admission to Craft Center / TTU?
Apply online at http://www.tntech.edu/admissions/apply_freshman.html and follow the listed instructions.
For more information contact the Admissions Office at 800.255.8881 or 931.372.3888 or visit
http://www.tntech.edu/admissions/.
• On the admissions application*, how do I indicate that I want to be a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
or Craft Certificate student at the Craft Center?
In the section titled “Enrollment Information” on TTU’s Admission application:
1) Select your classification (i.e. Freshman, Sophomore, Transfer, etc.).
2) Beside the line “Intended Major,” write in one of the following: BFA-Clay, BFA-Fibers, BFA-Glass,
BFA-Metals, BFA-Wood OR if you are planning to be a Certificate student, you would
write in “Craft Certificate” followed by your studio of choice (i.e. clay, fibers, glass, metals, wood).
3) It also helps if you write the words “Craft Center” somewhere in the “intended major” section.
This notation makes things clearer for the admissions clerks processing your application.
• What are the deadlines to apply for admission to TTU?
We encourage you to apply for admission one year before you plan to start TTU (for new freshmen, this is at
the end of your junior year in high school). To be considered for academic scholarships, you apply before
December 15th of the year before you plan to enter. You must apply for the fall term by August 1st; the
spring term by December 1st; and the summer term by May 1st to be admitted.
• Where do I pay my tuition and fees?
University tuition and fees are paid directly to Tennessee Tech’s Bursar’s Office. Once you have registered
for classes you have the option to pay online via web check or credit card. For more information regarding
payment, contact the TTU Bursar’s Office at 931.372.3311 or email bursar@tntech.edu
• Are there student employment or work-study opportunities at the Craft Center?
Yes. Students have the option to choose work-study when filling out the FAFSA application and can be
placed at the Craft Center for their work detail by specifying such with the financial aid office. Even if you have
not filed a FAFSA or financial aid form, there are still employment opportunities at the Craft Center. We hire
student workers for the following departments: maintenance/grounds, the gallery, the administration office,
shuttle drivers, and security.
• Does TTU / Craft Center offer a Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA)?
The Craft Center/TTU does not currently offer an MFA.
Appalachian Center for Craft
A campus of Tennessee Tech University
1560 Craft Center Drive ♦ Smithville TN 37166
615.597.6801 (phone) ♦ 615.597.6803 (fax)
craftcenter@tntech.edu ♦ www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/